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Five Places to Have a Holiday Meal on Christmas

15:00 December 21, 2020
By: Brhea Washington

With Christmas just days away, holiday meals are being prepared all over the world in celebration of the big day. Most Christmas dinners have their share of baked ham, turkey, macaroni and cheese, sides of vegetables, and eggnog. Louisiana holiday dinners feature many traditional dishes, but, of course, they also offer dishes that have origins throughout Louisiana and New Orleans. According to delish.com, gumbo is Louisiana's most iconic Christmas dish and has been a Christmas favorite around many dinner tables throughout the state. Seafood dishes are also common, which is not unusual, but around this time of year, a hot seafood dish is especially enjoyed as the weather cools down. A great present this year can be a nice, stress-free meal courtesy of one of New Orleans's restaurants that are open on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day to serve holiday dinner this year. Whether someone has a gumbo craving, desires Creole favorites, or is eager to try a new dish, here is a list of five spots offering tasty holiday meals that everyone can enjoy.

Copper Vine

Copper Vine is a wine pub proclaimed as one of New Orleans's favorite wine bars. Offering 30 aromatic and delicious wines, Copper Vine also has beautiful décor that serves as a great space to have excellent glasses of wine in a relaxing atmosphere. Copper Vine serves brunch, lunch, dinner, and dessert and offers Happy Hour for all patrons to enjoy their dish or drink of choice. For a delectable Christmas dinner, Copper Vine's menu includes options such as chicken and boudin gumbo, wild American shrimp and grits, seared Gulf fish, glazed pork chops, steak frites, semolina gnocchi with duck confit, and many others. Their menu also has a host of soups, salads, snacks, and sharables that can be accompanied with their varied selection of wines, beers, and cocktails. 1001 Poydras St., (504) 208-9535, coppervinewine.com

Tommy's Cuisine

For an appetizing Italian-Creole dinner, look no further than Tommy's Cuisine, which is open for dine-in, takeout, and delivery for Christmas dinner. Dinner can be complete with a glass or bottle of wine, with 50% off wine bottles and great selections from their extensive wine collection. Tommy's Cuisine also has family meals and offers Réveillon this year—multicourse meals that include an appetizer, pasta, entrée, and dessert for $45 until December 23. Their Christmas Day menu is available on both Christmas Day, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Christmas Eve, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. For Christmas dinner, delicious options such as Cajun fried turkey, chicken and andouille gumbo, appetizers, soups and salads, and pastas (such as crawfish and Louisiana blue crab capri) are on the menu. Also consider trying some of Tommy's Italian classics, such as chicken marsala and grilled filet mignon. 746 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 581-1103, tommyscuisine.com

Josephine Estelle

Located in Ace Hotel, Josephine Estelle is offering their Feast of Seven Fishes menu, an Italian-American celebration of seafood and fish dishes on Christmas Eve. Josephine Estelle will be open for regular dinner hours that day, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Seaworthy, also located in the hotel, will also be open for Christmas Eve dinner, from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. The Feast of Seven Fishes menu will be a supplement to the regular menu at both restaurants. The four-course dinner will be $65 per person, beginning with a first course of tuna crudo with olive confit, satsuma, spicy trout roe, Meyer lemon aioli, and sourdough. The second course includes a delicious squid-ink gemelli pasta with octopus Bolognese and salsa verde. Their third course is American red snapper alongside cauliflower, blue crab, baby mustard, and ancho beurre noisette sauce. Make room after dinner for a tasty dessert of honey peanut tart with miso ice cream and candied kombu. 600 Carondelet St., (504) 930-3070, josephineestelle.com

Bar Marilou

This French-style bar located in the Maison de la Luz hotel serves up creative cocktails alongside great plates of food. Bar Marilou's menu has tasty fall eats to indulge in, such as kaluga royal caviar; their Saint Jacques dish, including seared scallops, endive salad with apples, cauliflower, and pomegranate; and their gougères aux époisses (French cheese puffs). Bar Marilou also offers artisan ice cream to satisfy a sweet-tooth craving for dessert, and their seasonal menu has new cocktails to accompany the food or to be enjoyed by themselves. Bar Marilou's plates and drinks are original and perfect to enjoy in their great atmosphere. Tickets are also available for purchase for Bar Marilou's "Out of This World: A Celestial New Year Celebration" on New Year's Eve, for those looking to ring in 2021 with a bang. 544 Carondelet St., (504) 814-7711, barmarilou.com

Luke

Luke invites patrons to enjoy the holidays at their restaurant, no matter how big or small the celebration. Luke's Réveillon dinner menu with multicourse meals ends on Christmas Day, and what better way to spend a holiday than with a delicious dinner? On Christmas Day, Luke is serving a four-course meal for $60 per person, with a first course of hot buttered crab claws with garlic French bread. Their second course of Grandmother's Turtle Soup is sure to satisfy every homemade dinner desire and is served with Pedro Ximenez sherry wine and pressed egg. Their third course features mayhaw-glazed ham shank with kase spatzle and collard green choucroute. For a dessert indulgence, Luke's bourbon chocolate pot de crème with whipped eggnog and hazelnut crumble will nicely finish off a delicious dinner. 333 St. Charles Ave., (504) 378-2840, lukeneworleans.com


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